| Vol.
I, No. 2 | Thanksgiving | Nov.
17th, 2000 |
Links
to Food & Dining On-Line The
amount of info on the web is enormous, as anyone who's ever tried to run a
search can attest to. And, to put it all in context, best estimates say
that only a fraction, maybe 20 - 40 % of what's out there is actually making its
way to the search engines.
Well ...
Here at DownStreet, we'd like to try to help. So each issue, we
post a few links in Food & Dining to sites that might interest you.
Sometimes the links will be related to one another ... sometimes
we'll just offer up a somewhat random sampling. In either case, we think
we might be able to help you find the kind of site you've been looking for.
Of course, while we can't vouch for the fact that every link we provide will be
of interest to everyone, we do our best to filter out the noise and the
bustle. ... Recipes,
Recipes, Recipes ...
This month's links connect you to the world of
thousands of on-line recipes. Whatever your taste -- from standard
American fare to the most exotic ethnic dishes -- and whatever your diet -- from
low salt to vegetarian -- you're sure to find some winners. - Tudoc:
The Ultimate Directory of Cooking Sites
Tudoc is an on-line feast
with a recipe for success. ... The only complaint we have is the
annoying monkey at the top of the page that prompts you to click 'n' win --
probably familiar to on-line travellers from other sites.
That said,
don't let that annoyance deter you from visiting the TuDocs site. It's
fast ... and full. The menu on the left side of the page, while a bit
small for those of use with bi-focals, lists the categories:
Beverages, Bread, Canning, Cheese, Chefs, Chocolate, Desserts, Diabetic
Recipes, Ethnic Foods, Fruit, Low and Fat Free, Meat, Miscellaneous, OutDoor,
Seafood, Spices and Condiments, Vegetables, Vegetarian, General Recipes,
Food Usenet Groups, Awards, and Feedback. Once you click on one of
these links, each of the listings is rated [by saucepots] on a scale from
1-5.
One of the nicer things about the TuDocs site is that it doesn't
try to list everything. As a result, you can sample their fares and
wares pretty quickly and decide for yourself whether it's the site we
believe it to be.
Rating: ****1/2 [4-1/2 stars]
- Epicurious
If
you're epi-curious, then check out this site. They've been around a
while, and the format has changed {unfortunately, we think, not for the
better}. Nonetheless, Epicurious has a searchable database of over
11,000 recipes.
It's nor for nothing, then, that Epicurious describes
itself simply as a site "for people who eat." The opening
page has links to lots of commercial enterprises, as well as to Bon
Appétit & Gourmet. But don't be daunted. Each
day, you'll find a short list of Drinks, Recipes, Stores, and Tips, as well
as Weekly Field Reports on Cookbooks and global regional cooking. But
the database of recipes is really the thing. And you can sign up for
your own Recipe Box {for free} where you can store those recipes once you
find them.
Again. If you're somewhat daunted by the likes of Bon
Appétit & Gourmet {from which most of the recipes
originate}, don't be. One of the joys of cooking is finding recipes
that you then modify -- whether with different ingredients or
seasonings. After all, this isn't a chem lab.
Rating: **** [4
stars]
- Digital
Chef - Taste the Planet!
The Digital Chef site is
from Tavolo, an on-line purveyor of all things gastronomic. When you
get to the site, simply click on the Recipes link at the top of the page.
Tavolo's
Recipes section includes Recipes & Menus, Tips & Techniques, a Chefs
section that lets you in on the home kitchens & habits of famous
chefs, a Glossary of food & cooking terms, and the Tavolo Network, a
collection of video tips. In addition, like Epicurious, the Tavolo
site also allows to store your favorite recipes in what they call My
Cookbook. They go Epicurious one step further by adding a Grocery
List, which will track your shopping needs as you select recipes. But
you have to register to use it, including providing required credit card
info.
Despite its strong sales orientation, though, Tavolo's Digital
Chef is well worth a visit.
Rating: **** [4 stars]
*******
******* If you know of any
links that you think are worthwhile, why not send them along to ...
links@downstreetmagazine.com
... If we agree, we'll be happy to include
them in an upcoming issue to pass the word along. ...
Thanks. *******
******* .
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